Archive for April, 2011

I have built such great relationships with many of you, relationships that will extend far beyond Nimsoft and into other areas. I will be in personal contact with lots of our customers in the next few weeks…I am away this week.

Also, if anyone is concerned at the future of Nimsoft or would like to hear more about the strategy, I am happy to set calls up with myself and Chris O’Malley, the new Nimsoft CEO, for a couple of weeks time as well. Email me at garyread@yahoo.com and we’ll get something arranged.

This week I am with the Nimsoft elite sales folks for one last President’s Club….then back to California on Friday night.

I never quite realized what a positive impact that Nimsoft has had on so many people’s lives until the last couple of days.

The emails, comments, messages, calls have been amazing – it truly makes me so proud to have played my part in achieving this.

I’m even getting emails from our competitors saying that they will miss the “outspoken yet fun” style of the blog. We’ve always tried to keep it real and we’ve always tried to keep it fun – it’s never personal.

I spent today at our sales kickoff…over 200 sales and tech people in Vegas and I even had to work! Delivered the opening session and then later rolled out the brand new, leading edge, innovative commission plan. Yep, I figured I’d give our competitors one more thing to try to figure out and compete against in the months to come – call it my parting gift

My boss presented me with an authentic Man Utd shirt from when they won the world club championship signed by all the players. This was a classy touch….figuring out something that I liked so much and going to the trouble of getting something unique. I am hoping upon hope that they get to the Champions League final at Wembley….playing either Barcelona or Real Madrid. That is a match that I will not miss!

Really good stuff

….as I said to the team the other day….“rally against bureaucracy, rally against politics, rally against the status quo and rally for your customers and you will win.”

8 1/2 years ago I decided to start a small company that eventually would grow up to become Nimsoft and then ultimately to be the growth company inside of one of the 10 largest software companies in the world.

To suggest that I am humbled but also being proud of our achievements would be an understatement. But, there are things that we learned on the journey that are much more important than the destination.

We learned that being open and honest with those around you was the only way. This means with customers “no, sorry we don’t have that capability,” with employees, with partners, with our investors…everyone. Be direct, open and honest.

We also learned that it is important to enjoy the journey. A successful start-up demands a lot from its employees and puts a lot of pressure on their families. It is imperative to have a release valve where individuals can relax, chill and generally just have fun.

I personally learned that you have to have the courage of your convictions. As CEO you have to be prepared to disagree with a whole room full of people and hold your ground. At the end of the day it is your vision that needs to get executed on and you have to be true to it.

We also learned that egos have no place in Nimsoft. We would tell new employees, whether junior or senior to “park your ego at the door because it is not welcome here.” And that starts with me, setting the tone, most times just being like any other employee. Willing to do anything, go anywhere to support our business. Believe me, many individuals that have only worked at large companies struggle with this one.

And finally, you learn that this is all about people. The Nimsoft team is the most incredible set of folks that I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. I love our customers and have built relationships with them that will last forever.

But, there comes a time to move on and mine has arrived. 8 1/2 years is a pretty good “at bat” but nothing lasts forever. I leave Nimsoft in the best shape that it has ever been in. I entrust its continued success and innovation to the leadership team that I will be leaving behind and to the custodians at CA. I am confident that the employees and the customers will be well looked after and can leave with my head held high.

For those of you that follow this blog, you can continue to do so at www.garyread.com. For those of you that wish to keep in touch directly, email me at garyread@yahoo.com or find me on LinkedIn/Facebook etc.

And, one final comment to that incredible group of people otherwise known as the Nimsoft sales team – I will see you at sales kickoff